By DAILY PRESS STAFF
SACRAMENTO California lawmakers are supporting Santa Monica’s attempt to ban corporate jets from the city’s airport — including the one used by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
A legislative resolution passed Monday asks the Federal Aviation Administration to honor Santa Monica’s request.
Bobby Shriver, a Santa Monica city councilman and Schwarzenegger’s brother-inlaw, says the 5,000-foot runway isn’t long enough for the jets’ safe landings and take-offs.
Senators approved the resolution on a 21- 16 vote without debate. The Assembly passed it last month 73-0.
Schwarzenegger uses the airport to commute to and from the state capital almost daily. He can’t veto the resolution because it does not have the force of law.
Schwarzenegger spokesman Aaron McLear says the governor will not take a position on Santa Monica’s request but says he will follow the law if the regulations are changed.
FAA spokesman Ian Gregor said the city is bound by federal law to keep its runways open to the types of planes landing there now.
“It’s the FAA’s position that Santa Monica lacks the authority to ban any aircraft at the airport,” he said.
The ban was set to go into effect at 12:01 a.m. on April 24 but was suspended that day after the FAA filed a temporary restraining order, which was later granted by a U.S. District Court judge.
The order continued when the judge issued a preliminary injunction until the final results of the FAA internal review. The initial results of the review were released last month.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on August 13, 2008. Read the original PDF.